FAQ’s Digital
Q: I want to understand more about how ‘trunking’ can deliver multi user group digital radio communications. Can you tell me more in simple terms?
A: Yes of course. Please follow this link to find out more about how a trunked NEXEDGE® system operates.
Q: I’m thinking of migrating all my analogue two-way walkie talkies from different brands to digital, but I can’t afford to do it all at once. Is Kenwood NEXEDGE® compatible with analogue radio so that I can upgrade over time?
A: Yes
Q: Is NEXEDGE® compatible with other companies’ products or systems?
A: Yes. The NXDN® protocol used by NEXEDGE® is compatible with other companies’ digital two-way radio products that conform to the mandatory features and standard optional features specified by the NXDN® Forum.
Q: Is NEXEDGE® compatible with P25?
A: No. The NEXEDGE® radio system uses the NXDN® protocol, whereas P25 radio systems use the TIA102 standard. Since these systems use different protocols they cannot communicate with each other. Kenwood has its own range of P25-compatible radio equipment.
Q: Is NEXEDGE® compatible with TETRA?
A: No. TETRA is a TDMA radio system, standardised by ETSI.
Q: With regard to NEXEDGE® making effective use of current analogue systems, specifically what components are of use?
A: You can use power amps, combiners and other equipment that form part of analogue systems. Moreover, NEXEDGE® radios have a digital mode and an analogue mode, so it is possible to gradually convert systems currently in use from analogue to digital. Also, absolutely no special peripheral equipment is required for 6.25kHz operation; standard LMR facilities can be used as they are.
Q: In layman’s terms, what exactly is a trunked radio system and how does it deliver multi-user group radio communications?
A: You can find out the basics on trunked radio systems and the advantages of NEXEDGE® digital trunked systems by clicking on this link.
Q: We currently use another trunked system. Can we connect a NEXEDGE® trunked site to it?
A: No. It is not possible to directly connect a NEXEDGE® site to an analogue trunked site (e.g. LTR® or PassPort).
Q: Does Mixed Mode work in trunked mode?
A: No. Mixed mode is available only for “conventional” operation (analogue conventional & NEXEDGE® conventional).
Q: What people do you recommend the NEXEDGE® system for?
A: We recommend it to people with the following sorts of needs and issues.
• “We want to migrate to digital, but we don’t want to replace all our existing analogue radios straight away.”
• “Our present equipment suffers from a rasping kind of noise on the edges of the communications area.”
• “We want to extend the range a little, but we are hesitating because of the cost of installing repeaters.”
• “With our present equipment, competitors can eavesdrop on our communications and there are leaks of important information. We could prevent this with scramblers, but it’s expensive.”
• “We want to send GPS positional information simultaneous with voice, and sometimes we want to send long data message instead of voice, but right now we have neither of these capabilities.”
• “We currently use LTR® trunking, but we only have about 200 IDs, which is inconvenient.”
• “We are operating a multisite system, but running costs are high because we have to use leased lines to connect the different sites.”
• “We are running a system as an SMR operator, but too much time is spent in managing IDs and accounting. We want something simpler.”
• “We want to make the right choices now so that we will not be faced with additional costs if and when we are compelled to transition to 6.25kHz in the future.”
Q: How is it that both FM and NEXEDGE® units can share the same RF channel?
A: With conventional operations using 12.5kHz channels, NEXEDGE® radios can be used in either analogue or digital modes. However, since the frequency is the same, a choice must be made between analogue and digital. For example, if someone transmits in analogue mode, the receiving unit will switch automatically to analogue. Similarly, for digital mode transmissions the receiving unit will switch to digital and receive by decoding the digital voice signal.
Q: How is it that both voice and data be transmitted simultaneously on the same channel?
A: With analogue communications, it is not possible to transmit voice and data simultaneously, but this can be done using digital mode. This is because with digital technology the voice signal is also converted into a digital signal for transmission; in other words, both voice and data can be converted into a digital signal and sent together. At the receiving end, the voice and data are separated and individually decoded.
Q: How far exactly does NEXEDGE® coverage extend?
A: It is not possible to precisely compare coverage area since it varies depending on the conditions for radio wave propagation. When comparing the coverage areas of a NEXEDGE® system and an analogue system, typically the following is true: 4800bps > 9600bps H ≈ Narrow FM
When using a NEXEDGE® multisite system, the system service area increases according to the number of sites.
Q: Can the system be used during a power failure?
A: Connecting UPS (uninterruptible power supply) units to your system will enable you to continue operation for a limited time without mains power. A radio can be used for as long as the battery charge lasts.